Hand bit assembly holder



Dec. 25, 195 2,775,341

R. J. WILLIAMS HND BIT ASSEMBLY HOLDER Filed July l5. 1953 lUnited States Patent O 2,115,341 HAND Brr ASSEMBLY HOLDER `menant J. williams, Peruana, oreg.

Application July 1s, 195s, serial No. 361,491

s claims. (ci. zoe-16) YThis invention relates'to a hand bit assembly and tool holder for holding a bit and wrench together in a tool box or the like;

vvIn house wiring and other trades diiliculty is often experienced in boring holes in places where there is insuicient space to operate the usual hand brace or power to'ol. The present invention provides a novel bit and wrench combination forfboring diflcult holes such as through the siding of a house up under theeaves or do'vvnl through a rafter plate close under the roof for electric wiring and other purposes. The present bit is not usable in a conventional chuck and so falls in the category of a special purpose tool. It is therefore desirable to provide means for keeping the special bit and its wrench together so that they will not become separated in a box containing many other tools and it is also desirable to provide a `tool holder for this purpose which will afford adequate protection against damage to the bit.

Objects of the present invention are therefore to provide a novel hand bit and wrench combination for boring holes, to provide a tool holder for the bit and wrench which may be carried in the pocket, to provide a holder having means to protect the cutting end of the bit from damage when it is jostled among other metallic tools, and to provide a device of the type described which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and convenient to use.

In general the tool holder of the present invention comprises a tubular container for the bit having means to secure the wrench on the outside of the container. The bit is preferably screwed into a plug of wood or other suitable material in one end of the tube in order to retain it in the tube and the wrench is held in its securing means by a suitable catch or detent to prevent its accidental separation from the tube.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent and the invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment. Various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a tool holder embodying the principles of the invention with certain parts broken away to show internal construction;

Figure 2 is a view of the wrench removed from the holder shown in Figure 1; v

Figure 3 is a view of the bit removed from the holder in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the holder lafter both the Wrench and bit have been removed.

Referring first to Figure 3, ther bit indicated generally at has a shank end 11 and a tip end 12 comprising a tapered screw threaded point as usually found on wood boring bits. Welded or brazed on the shank end 11 are a nut 13 to receive a wrench and a washer 14 to serve as a stop to prevent the wrench from slipping down over theround shank 1 1. The washer has a larger diameter than the bit to prevent the bit from droppingthrough a vertical hole which has just been bored. Obviously, `the nut and washer elements may be formed integral .with the shank of the bit if desired. f

Figure 2 shows a conventional ratchet wrench 1S having a handle 16 equipped with a nut engaging element 17 which is controlled by a ratchet mechanism to permit free relative rotation in one direction and effect` a Irotative lock when torque is applied in the opposite direction. It is not essential that the wrench be a ratchet type but this type is highly advantageous for the present purpose for obvious reasons. When the wrench is applied to the nut 13 in one position oscillation of the wrench handle will turn the bit in a right hand direction to`bore` a hole. When the bit is to beremoved from a bored hole the wrench may be turned over relative to the nut 13 whereupn oscillation of the wrench handle will rotate the bit in a left hand direction to unscrew thepbit.

The holder indicated generally at 20 comprises a metal tube or pipe 21 which is slightly larger than the bodyof the bit` but preferably too small to permit entrance of the washer 14. One end of the tube contains "a plug `22 of wood or other suitable material into which the tip 12 may be screwed as shown in Figure 1. The length of the tube from the open end down to the plug 22 is preferably such that when the tip 12 is screwed into the plug the washer 14 seats iirmly against the open end of the tube. This will frictionally lock the bit against unscrewing from the plug and will prevent the bit from working loose under vibration and falling out of the tube.

The exterior surface of the tube 21 is equipped with a pair of stirrup straps 25 to receive the wrench handle 16 in a snug tit. When the wrench handle is inserted in the straps 25 in the manner shown in Figure 1 casual disengagement is prevented by a ball detent 26 which is arranged to project into the opening in the nut engaging element 17. The ball detent 26 is contained in a small cylindrical housing 27 having a spring 28 to project the ball portion as shown. Such ball detent yassemblies are well known and are of the type commonly employed as catches for cupboard doors and the like.

The ball detent assembly comprising the housing 27 may be inserted through a hole in the tube 21 to extend into a prepared hole in the plug 22 to assist in securing the plug against longitudinal or rotative movements in the tube. In any event it is preferred that the plug have a driving t in the tube to form in effect an integral part of the tube. Also, the plug may be cemented in the tube if desired.

With the two tools thus assembled in the holder as shown in Figure 1 the bit is protected against damage in t-he tool box and the wrench is not as likely to become misplaced or diverted to some other purpose which would separate it from the bit. The assembly of Figure 1 is also well adapted for pocket carrying, being compact and free of corners and projections which would tear the clothes.

When a hole is to be bored in a cramped space that will not accommodate a hand brace or power tool the wrench 15 is first removed by grasping the large end and sliding it to the right relative to the holder 20 in Figure 1 whereupon the edge of the nut opening in nut engaging element 17 depresses the ball detent 26 against the action of spring 28 and allows the wrench handle to slide to the right out of the straps 25. Should the wrench tend to stick in the holder it may be readily freed by striking the end of the wrench handle with the heel of the hand, or by tapping the end of the handle on a solid surface, while grasping the tube 21. Then the wrench may beapplied to the nut 13 to remove the bit from the plug 22 andthe parts are ready for their intended use.

Wln'thebithas'served itsnctioii'tlie'tip v12 is turned by hand into the plug 22 and then further tightening may b9 efected vas hereinabove described by ,applying the vif eiithft the nut 1 3 until the washer ,14 seats firmly against `the open end4 Hof `the tube .to prevent any looseness bween the bit and the tube which might otherwise cause the bit Lto work loose from the plug 22 by the js'tling of the tools over a periodof time. Then the Small end .of the handle 16 ofthe wrench is inserted into the straps 2S depressingwand sliding over the nose of ball detentZ until .the latter finally snaps up into the opening of the nuteng'agingprnember 17 to serve its retaining fil/notion. When ythevv'rencl'i'islassembled with the holder a` s'4 shown in'Figure it may readily be removed in the manner 'described but it will n ot slip out unintentionally from vibration or jos'tlihg in a tool box;v Y

" Having now described my invention and in what manner'the saune ,Ifrlay" bfe vusedQWhat I claim as new and desire'to'pfotect by )LettersV Patent is:

I. Atool holder for a bit and bit wrench comprising a tube having means to receive and secure the screw tip of abit therein, `a strap loop on one side of said tube to receive thehandle of the bit wrench in parallel relation with said tube, and a releasable detent projecting from said one side of said tube engageable with said wrench to retain said wrench in said loop.

2. A tool holder comprising a tube open at one end, a plus in the other @nd of S9151 H1129, 9 ,Strap .1991 ,91,1 ,099 eitrirnside of 'sid'tubefanda spring operated detent Seated in said plug and projecting from said one side of said tube.

3. A tool holder for a hand bit and a bit wrench comprising a tubular member, means in one end of said tubular member for frictionally engaging and securing the threaded tip of a bit in saidmember, a strap loop on one exterior side of said tubular member vfor encircling the handle of a wrench and securing said Wrench to said member, and releasable detent means on said one side of said member for engaging said wrench to retain the wrench in said loop.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

